


The Death of Bliss

by She_Who_Only_Knows_War



Series: Lucy [8]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Anger, Drama, F/M, Foul Language, Infidelity, Mother in Law Likes Son in Law Too Much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 05:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3883423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/She_Who_Only_Knows_War/pseuds/She_Who_Only_Knows_War
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hitomi rarely makes mistakes. But when he does, he invites Lucy's mother to his wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Death of Bliss

"You invited her to the wedding?" Lucy's eyes are narrowed into slits.  
"Yes," Hitomi says. "Because if she doesn't come, you'll be pretty upset you didn't invite her when she dies."  
Lucy can say nothing.  
Her mother and siblings make the long trip to visit with them, having rented a hotel a few minutes out.  
When Hitomi meets Mrs. Harrison, she introduces herself as Annalee Loveless.  
Lucy's siblings make her both cry with affection and nearly tear out her hair in anger in the background.

At one of the many family dinners they're going to have, Annalee touches Lucy's arm. Lucy, having softened considerably to her mother over the span of the day, leans into her touch.  
Hitomi thinks that Lucy convinces herself to hate people when they're away.  
Their friends are there, too. Sitting around the table and talking amongst themselves amiably.  
"Your father was absolutely heartbroken when you didn't invite him, dear," Annalee says.  
Lucy stiffens then, pulling away. "He is not my father. He's a bastard and I hate him."  
Her mother looks sad. "I know he wasn't the best step father but he wasn't the worst. This isn't nice of you."  
"I've _been_ nice, mother. And you screwed me over. So stop ruining my wedding week."  
Her mother doesn't speak for the rest of the meal.

When they all decide to head home for the evening, Lucy's mother puts a hand on Hitomi's forearm. "It was nice meeting you, cutie." And then she leaves.  
Lucy watches her go. "I hate that bitch."  
"So, when were you going to mention your entire family background to me?"  
"I wouldn't have had to if you didn't invite my stupid mother."  
" _Lucy._ "  
"Look, my dad is crazy, my mom's a sociopath, and the man she married abused me." Her voice rises in volume with every word. "That's why I can't deal with you. That's why I used to want you to hurt me! _That's why I'm crazy!_ " She's screaming at him now. But it's not really at him, so much as her life. So he lets her. It's just them in an empty parking lot, anyway.  
Some part of him wonders if marrying her is really such a good idea.  
But the rest of him can't envision a life without her.

Dinner with his parents is pretty regular. His dad prays before the meal, his mom talks about his brothers and how they're doing in Nebraska, and he gives tidbits about his own life.  
"Mareo and Samantha's second baby is due pretty soon. Are you going to visit?"  
Hitomi has always looked up to his eldest brother, but things had been a little rocky between them the last year or so, Hitomi isn't all that sure why. "If he'll have us."  
"Good," Says his father. "I hope you boys can work it out."  
"Me too," Says Hitomi.  
His mother teasingly prods him for more grandchildren but he doesn't have the heart to tell her Lucy doesn't want any.  
Lucy doesn't tell her either.

It's in the afternoon the next day when Lucy's mom stops by.  
"Lucy's not home right now, she's out with some friends," Hitomi tells her as he lets her in.  
"That's okay. I just stopped by to get something."  
Hitomi can't think of anything that Annalee left last time she was here. Maybe Lucy forgot to mention it to him? She'd lose her own head if it weren't attached. "Do you want to stay for lunch?" He was planning on having it ready by the time Lucy got back. But he isn't really sure when she's coming home.  
"Sure," Says Annalee before slipping down the hall.  
Hitomi savors the sweet smell of the stir fry, takes pleasure in the feel and sound of the vegetables when he dices them. He's always had a passion for cooking, even if he couldn't make a career out of it.  
Arms snake around his waist. He smiles at how sneaky Lucy is. He didn't even hear her come in. "Have a good time?"  
Teeth nip at his earlobe. "I'm about to," Annalee whispers, her breath fans over his neck and shoulder. A cold chill runs down his spine.  
He's quick to break the embrace. "What the hell are you doing?"  
Annalee pouts. "Don't tell me you don't find me attractive."  
"I'm about to marry your daughter."  
"So? What she doesn't know won't hurt her."  
It would kill Lucy. Probably literally. "I'm not sleeping with you. Get out."  
Lucy's mother takes a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry." Her face crumbles. "I've just been so lonely." She's about to start crying. But Hitomi will be damned if he's going near her again. "My husband doesn't love me." Now she is crying. And Hitomi feels bad. He also wonders why Lucy and Annalee don't look very much alike.  
She sinks to the floor with her face in her hands. "And I've been such a horrible mother. I've lost Guinness, and now Lucy."  
But Hitomi gets the feeling Lucy has been lost longer than that. Lucy has anger that has been buried so deep, so long, it's almost in her bone marrow and dragging it out of her is torture for both of them.  
He never got to meet Guinness. He wishes that he had. Yet, Lucy is always talking about her, so it's enough.  
Annalee is doing some serious crying on his kitchen floor.  
When he thinks that she's repented enough, he kneels in front of her, gently taking her hands in his. "Your relationship with Lucy is pretty bad. But you can work with her on fixing it. You can make things better."  
"I'm trying." She says, scooting closer to him, turning her hands over so their palms touch.  
He shakes his head. "You broke the relationship by doing what was best for you and what hurt Lucy. You need to do what's right. Lucy will come back after that." He doubts it, actually. Lucy is so fed up, her mother could write her name in the stars and Lucy would ignore it. He doesn't know why Lucy hates them. But on her bad days, he can almost taste her anger when they kiss, coppery and slightly bitter.  
Annalee nods and wraps her arms around him. "I'll try."  
Hitomi doubts that, too.  
Because when Lucy is angry, she tells you how to fix it, gets angrier when you don't.  
Annalee shifts and he realizes she's in his lap. He turns his head to ask her to get the _fuck_ off and is met only with a mouth. Hands slide up under his loose shirt.  
There's a scream behind them. Hitomi cranes his neck to see Lucy fuming. She rips the ring off her finger and throws it at him. "Fuck you. Fuck both of you!"  
He shoves the woman in his lap off, grabbing the band before chasing after Lucy out the door and down the driveway. "Lucille!"  
She's standing at the end of the street, hands fisted, arms locked straight, bent nearly double. " **That isn't my name!** " She screams it so loud and hysterically that, if they hadn't had this conversation before, he wouldn't be able to understand her. He's pretty thankful she's so touchy about her name. She would have been long gone otherwise. It gives him time to close the physical distance between them.  
"I know," He says when he's ten feet from her. "I know, Lucy."  
Lucy is quivering, converting every ounce of pain and sorrow she feels into anger and hate.  
He feels sorry for her that this is her defense.  
She'd rather be feared than be vulnerable.  
And he has to be careful not to make this worse because she knows his weakness, all the things that will hurt him the most.  
"I didn't mean for that to happen."  
"And I didn't mean to break the bookshelf and the picture frames."  
He sighs. "I'm sorry."  
Her jaw clenches. She probably thinks he planned this.  
"She said she came by to get something, pretended to care, then put her hands on me."  
She looks like she's going to believe him, the light in her eyes changes just slightly, gets brighter.  
Then goes out completely. "I'm not marrying you."  
After everything, she isn't going to trust him. It isn't that she can't. It's that she _won't._  
"Then don't leave me." It's the only thing he can ask for. The only thing that will let him prove he's still trustworthy.  
"I need time away."  
He swallows, keeps down that feeling of needing reassurance that she's leaving her problems, not leaving him. "Then take it. Do you have somewhere to go?" He isn't going to ask where. He just wants her to be safe.  
She nods. He is sure to give her space as they go back to the house. Her mother is gone and he can see by the set of her shoulders that she wants to throw something. To destroy until nothing is left. Ironically, when it comes to destruction of anything but herself, she has perfect control.  
He turns off the stove, the stir fry is black and burnt, a few moments from catching fire.  
He doesn't know what to tell his parents. How he's going to win Lucy back.  
The front door slams and he knows Lucy is gone for at least a week.  
So, he calls his best friend, Allen, to invite him to dinner. He doesn't feel like cooking anymore.  
Then he calls his father for advice.


End file.
